Other side of the glass
by Kuro kaen
Summary: Hilary, the bossy boots of the school, has a run in with a gang member. Things don't go her way. And he promised to be back for revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Other side of the glass

Chapter 1

"You're such a bastard!" She screamed into the leering face. Drawing back her fist she threw it as hard as she could into the boy's curled lips. His head snapped back with a grunt of pain, mouth spilling blood. Staggering backwards, reeling from the force of the blow, Hilary watched him in shock. _No no! This can't be happening! How could I lose control like that? _Stepping away, her face a mask of terror her breath came out in shallow gasps.

Muffled swearing came from the boy. Stumbling back round to face her, he grinned, a rivulet of crimson slithering from his mouth. "Nice shot" he spat blood. "Guess I won't mess with you in the future." Flicking a strand of raven black hair from his eyes, he narrowed them to golden slits of triumph. "But I've got some friends who would willingly oblige"

Hilary's eyes widened in horror "No, I didn't mean to-"

"Too late" the boy grinned easily once more. "I'm outta this dump."  
The Chinese teen turned and sprinted through the school gates.Suddenly Hilary became aware of the crowd around her, students from every year, all witnesses to what she had done. Gossip buzzed through the air around her like the heart of a hornets nest.Turning the opposite direction from the boy, she pushed her way through the crowd, glancing round in some vain hope that the teachers hadn't arrived. A tight knit group of adults had already invaded the scene. Gazing behind her for a split second, the thought of sprinting out of the school gates and following the boy flashed through her mind. "HILARY TACHIBANA! Come here this instant!" Sighing she turned round to face the expedition of grim faced teachers. This was going to be a long day.

XXXX

Bursting into her room, the furious voices of her parents still ringing in her ears, Hilary flung herself on the bed. Her head ached from the unfairness of it all. Letting herself cry for the first time that day, she pummelled her pillow mercilessly. It did nothing to sooth her livid temper. How could everyone be so blind? They only saw one side. To them, the bossy-boots of the school had got fed up with a new boy challenging her authority. It was all her fault that he now refused to go back.

Ray Kon, a homeless boy from down town. Rumour had it he was in a gang, the gang, feared throughout town for their ruthless members, eliminating any competition from their territory. The blade breakers- hideous rumours had flown round the school for weeks of how they killed their rivals with knives; slit their throats with grotesque accuracy. Hilary felt sick. How could she have let her temper out so easily? It was just the image of his face, swarming in on her mind, grinning as though he owned the place. It wouldn't go away.

Groaning, she rolled over and buried her head in the pillow. The heat from crying and the damp material smothering her face soon forced her to draw away for air. This couldn't be happening. Twisting the duvet cover between her fingers Hilary wished it would all go away. She was too old to cling onto the failed hope that this was all a dream. Staring hard at the floor, head hanging limply over the side of the bed, she looked down until the throbbing of her head made her stop. Standing up suddenly, at a loss of what to do with her self, she staggered through the head rush, to the window. Flinging it open, she took in lungfuls of chilly evening air.

Over the quiet houses of her street she watched the last burning amber slits of the sunset lose themselves in the grey torrents of the evening darkness. Black storm clouds hung heavily in the air and as Hilary watched, the first few large drops of rain hit her face, cold. She let them slide down, cooling her flushed cheeks. The drops soon strengthened into a shower.  
Hilary closed the window. Turning her back to the rain, she surveyed her darkening room. Tidy, neat. Everything was how it was meant to be: organised, a few clothes thrown onto a chair in the corner, opposite her bed, a wardrobe on the right wall, bookshelf, everything you would expect. Hilary sighed. Walking over slowly she changed from her school uniform into jeans and a large black hoodie. So what if she had just pulled it out of the cupboard without putting her old one in the washing basket? Stupid little things she used to care so much about seemed ridiculous now. Returning to the window, she pulled her hood up and watched the rain shimmer down the glass. Breathing slowly she let the smell of freshly fallen rain on concrete sooth her racing mind.  
Staring out through the rain, almost in a daze, she felt the need to go out. Go for a walk in the rain. That would put her mind off the problems for awhile.

Sliding open the window, she looked down. The side of her house was sheer. Rain splattered off the whitewashed walls, appearing grey in the fading light. _Maybe not that way_. Almost in a trance, listening to the pattering of rain on the roof, she opened her bedroom door. Slipping quietly out into the hallway she made her way quickly down stairs to the back door.

The chink of cutlery and murmur of voices could be heard from the warmly lit kitchen. Her parents had started having dinner without her.  
Feeling her stomach rumble, she ignored it. _Besides, I've been eating too much lately anyway._ Feeling the familiar pang of self hate at her figure, she shoved her feet in her trainers. Opening the door as quietly as she could Hilary ran out into the rain, leaving it to slam shut behind her.

XXXX

Kai woke up irritable. The metallic pounding of the rain on the warehouse roof wouldn't let him go back to sleep. Rising off his sparse mattress on the upper level of the abandoned storage building he stalked down the metal grid stairs.

The ground floor coming into sight showed his team huddled in a group. Ray stood angrily in the centre. Tyson was yelling something about him being beaten up by a girl. Kai snorted derisively to himself. The pony tailed boy would never grow up.

Uncrossing his arms, he vaulted over the railings, landing perfectly on the concrete floor, a few metres away from the others. They stopped talking at once. Paying no attention to them what so ever, Kai recrossed his arms, and strode past the silent group to a small wooden side door. Opening it to the down pour he stated above the sound of the rain "I'm going out." He stepped outside and let it bang shut behind him.

XXXX

Hilary sprinted through the streets, running so fast she was blinded by the rain. The cold wind ripped her sodden hood off. Rat's tails of dark brown hair hung in her eyes as she forced her burning lungs to go faster. Feeling a wild rush of adrenaline she pelted onwards, through the streets she knew so well, past the school, its lights still glittering through the rain, taunting her. Hilary ran faster, she ran until her legs ached, until her lungs felt as if they were blazing cold. Her eyes watered from the lashing of droplets into her eyes, her clothes hung sodden off her skinny frame. Breath rasping out in shallow gasps she finally stopped, physically unable to go any further, pain shooting through her chest. Leaning against a wall she waited, head and heart pounding, until the stitch subsided. Still breathing hard she let herself slide down the wall. Landing in a puddle at the bottom, she let the water soak through her already wet clothes. Staring up at the darkened sky the feelings of helplessness and insecurity flooded through her. Letting her arms fall loosely to the pavement and legs out infront of her she relaxed her whole body in an attempt to steady her breathing. Closing her eyes against the rain she half lay on the deserted street, surrounded by the shadow of unfamiliar warehouses, and let herself go numb.

**Ok yes I've started another story I'm afraid…ok then, my routine question: any ideas where it should go from here?**

…**--u ok then…heheh…bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Striding quickly through the downpour, Kai relished in the rain streaming off his pale skin. His hair hung wet and limp in his eyes. But he didn't push it away. He grinned wolfishly to himself. No one was ever around here. Feeling the uncomfortable damp material of his shirt against his skin, Kai ripped it off impatiently, throwing the black material as a tattered rag behind him. Starting to run through the rain, he almost let a yell of pure ecstasy burst from his chest. Feeling the cold air rush past him. The freezing rain driving against his skin. This was the emotion Kai sought.Alone and half naked he slowed to a walk. Shaking his hair, he let drops of water flick away, leaving his grey and blue hair sticking up on end until the water pounded it down again. Kai loved the rain. It was the best time to go out. The world was deserted, nothing but him and the elements. He slowed even further. Weaving a slightly drunken path, he gaze thrown up to the sky, he caught drops of water in his mouth. His breath misted the air infront of him, goose bumps flared up his arms. Shivering in half concealed delight, Kai took in deep lungfuls of the freezing air, letting it sink down into his chest and chill him to the very core.  
Through the grey mass of the abandoned warehouses lining cracked and broken roads like the coffins of a disease ridden city, the haunting silence behind the rainfall was torn apart by a low growl of thunder.  
Indifferent to the menace of his surroundings, Kai wandered on.

XXXX

Suddenly Hilary was jerked awake by a peal of thunder. Eyes adjusting slowly to the precariously dim light, she pushed the hair slowly from her face. She had lost all sense of time.  
The girl blinked slowly, letting her brain catch up with what she was doing. Stumbling awkwardly to her feet, she leant heavily against the cold stone wall. Her clothes were soaking wet, wringing the water feebly from one sleeve she turned her gaze home. Suddenly shivering violently a wave of light-headedness caused her to grab the stone work beside her.  
Swaying slightly she focused on the pavement infront of her. Her mind sped up slightly. She was way too cold. Staring down at her hands, she saw them white. What had she been thinking? Starting to panic she took a careful step forwards. Dizziness swept over her again. Holding onto the wall, she ignored the fit of shivering that had overtaken her limbs. Making her way slowly along the street, rain still pounding into her numb body, she didn't hear the fast footfalls behind her until it was too late.

XXXX

Kai cut through an alley way, taking brief respite from the biting wind and rain. Flicking the dripping, slate coloured strands from his sharp purple eyes he picked up the pace again. Sprinting full speed through the twilight he raced towards the bright halo of the exit. Feeling the rain against his skin once more he glanced up at the sky, willing the downpour to last longer. The clouds still hung low, now becoming darker with the falling night. Rounding the corner he didn't see the figure infront of him until it was too late.

XXXX

Smashing into her at full speed, Kai was knocked sideways into the deserted road. Hilary staggered forward, world spinning insanely about her, she found herself on the cold hard pavement. Waiting, blood pounding painfully through her head, until the world had righted itself again, she picked herself up gingerly, half aware of someone speaking beside her. Turning slowly, she set eyes on the teen. About her age, his wild slate grey hair was battered down by the rain.  
He was topless. Had skin almost as pale as hers. But he didn't seem to mind about that. He seemed more agitated by the deep rivulets of crimson blood, gesturing furiously at them. The liquid was seeping down his elbow where he had scraped it from his fall. "Did I do that?" He voice sounded far away. Brain numbed from the cold. "I'm Sorry."  
She raised her hand, half with some sort of apologetic intent of patting him on the shoulder, half to steady herself as her vision darkened slowly round the edges. "I didn't mean…" her voiced died as she struggled to regain her balance through the waves of dizziness surging over her.  
The boy was quiet now, watching her shrewdly through intense purple eyes.  
"I…I…" she tried again, the words stuck in her throat. She found it impossible to swallow. Rain dripped into her eyes, blinding her. It threw her vision into shafts of grey and white light reflecting through the drops that clung to her eyelashes. Screwing up her eyes in an attempt to clear them, she blinked rapidly and tried again to focus her vision on the boy.

He stood, surveying her with an expressionless face. His hard eyes gazed unfeelingly into hers. As though he was so far above her, she didn't matter to him. Feeling tears spill in warm streaks down her face. She was suddenly hit with such a feeling of worthlessness. Shivering and convulsing through the tears she felt as though she should apologise. She had wasted his time. Though it had been nothing more than a few seconds, her mind had warped from the cold. It felt as though she had been staring at him forever.

"I-I'm sorry" she managed to stutter out. Hugging her freezing, wet clothes to her shivering frame, as though to shield her body from him, she staggered round to leave. Shaking almost to the point her legs gave way; she forced herself on, step by step, unaware and uncaring through the rain, if he was standing there watching her or not.

Kai watched her leave. Curiosity held him there momentarily. What was this girl doing out at a time like this? Her clothes gave away that she wasn't from the streets, unless she had just run away from home. Kai mused on the thought, oblivious to the rain still tearing down, and the girl staggering away from him though the night.

XXXX

Hilary saw lights ahead. They glimmered sickly yellow circles through the water still falling from the sky. Giving no thought to the source of the light she made her way to the brightness, strength fading fast. Stumbling, unseeing, up a small flight of shallow steps, she had some vague sense, deep in the hazy recesses of her mind, that they were familiar.

Fingers numb and fumbling she somehow managed to find a door handle. Tugging desperately on it she found to her immense shock, that it swung open with ease. Staggering, soaked though and freezing cold, into what ever building she had miraculously found, she squinted up through the neon lights. The floor wasn't carpeted. A long corridor stretched away infront of her, rooms branching off. This wasn't anybody's home…  
She knew where she was. She knew she couldn't stay here. Half turning, she felt the bitter wind from outside chill her though her dripping skin. Going outside again would be suicide. Resigning herself to fate, she staggered exhausted down the perkily lit hall. Bursting into one of the nearest rooms, relieved to find it empty, she made her way to the nearest radiator.

Struggling to extract herself from the heavy wringing wet hoodie, after much thrashing around, she eventually got the black beast off her. Flinging it bad temperedly across the room, she threw herself down by a radiator. Her fingers had begun to thaw, throbbing hideously. Clenching and unclenching her fists she resisted the urge to hit something to take her mind off it.

Instead she busied herself by yanking off her drenched shoes and socks. Putting them carefully down by the heater, she finally let herself relax against it. The warmth shot through her sodden shirt, burning her skin. She ignored the pain. The world still blurred, she closed her weary eyes to it.

And finally let herself slip off into sleep.

**Hmm…well that went along faster than expected…yeah anyways, ideas, reviews…should it be romance? Ect…**

**Not really much else 2 say…**

**Well see ya ...  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hilary woke up cold and dishevelled. The once warm radiator was now ice cold against her back, soothing the burns it had inflicted the night before. Shifting uncomfortably she winced in pain as the burns began to throb. Sighing irritably now she gazed around the room. Her eyes were still tired and itchy; the horrible bunged up feeling of a cold coming on not improving her mood. The previous nights memories swam slowly around in her mind. It had all happened so quickly, she couldn't even begin to come to terms with it.

Casting it from her mind, she glanced around the room. Numerous desks and chairs arranged in tidy rows, looked unnervingly different bathed in the clean light of the morning, shining in chinks through the blinds. Getting slowly to her feet, she hunted around for her shoes and socks, attempting to quell the shivering starting to wrack her body again. Hugging herself tightly she forced her bare feet into damp shoes, shoving the socks in the pocket of partially dry jeans. Not even bothering to run a hand through her knotted hair, she swept the mess from her eyes and set off, hunched against the morning chill, to find a way out of her school.

Glancing at the class room clock it told her five in the morning. Thanking her lucky stars that no students would ever be in school at this time, she let the scenario of waking up in the middle of a classroom full of students run through the back of her mind as she made her way back down the corridor she had come, wet shoes squeaking horribly against the hard floor.

Reaching the exit, still trying to rub the tiredness from her coffee brown eyes, she tugged wearily on the door handle. It didn't move.

Her heart skipped a beat. A small frown of confusion crept onto her face. She pulled again, harder. The same result.

Heart speeding up, pounding painfully in her throat, eyes widened slowly in realisation; her pale hand slid onto the cold metal of the handle, grip tightening once more. Tensing her body rigid she yanked the door as hard as she could.

Nothing.

Suddenly a distant bang echoed through the hall. Staring at the door in puzzlement for a second, the menacing sound of footsteps suddenly sprung up from down the hall, bouncing eerily off the walls. Someone had entered the building. She whipped round. They were coming closer. The concise tapping of office shoes closed in.

Turning quickly, in two strides, Hilary was through the nearest door. The rank smell of stale urine hit her in waves. Fighting down the nausea she cursed her luck. She managed to stumble into the boys toilets.

Holding a hand over her nose, she ventured deeper into the grey room of rotting tiles and toilet paper hanging grotesquely from the ceiling, determined to escape the school without being found, at any costs.

Waiting, almost suffocating from the smell, until she thought the person must have gone, Hilary slipped tentatively back out of the door, taking a huge gulp of the clean air and scouting round quickly for any danger. Looking round carefully once more, the door was still closed. But the person must have come in from somewhere. Hilary slipped as quietly as possible down the hall way. The lights had been turned on. Between her and the end of the corridor where numerous rooms, all could hold the person, and if they came down the stairs from the far end, she would be seen instantly. Retracing her steps swiftly to the empty class room she had come in from, eyes darting round everywhere, ears strained for the slightest noise, an idea suddenly came whirling into her panicked brain. The window. She was on the ground floor. The Drop was nothing but a few feet down. Smiling in relief, Hilary dodged quickly between the desks and without thinking drew up the blinds. They made an earth shattering screech as they shot up the window, screaming against the glass. Hilary almost jumped out of her skin. Adrenaline flooded her body. A shout emanated from down the corridor. She swore quietly, she was in too deep to turn back now. Crouching down the girl pinched the cold bolt of metal that latched the window shut resolutely, and pulled. It jammed. Wiggling it about furiously she cursed the faulty mechanism. Split second flashed past as she wrestled with the knot pulling it back and forth, up and down. With a final jerk it came loose, shooting across and cutting deep into her fingers where they had closed round it. Deep red blood spurted from her index finger. Fighting down a scream, she ignored it and grabbed the sliding window with her other hand. Shaking now, she could hear the office shoes running down the corridor. Voices. There was more than one.

With new resolve, she swept the window open and thrust her torso through.

Mistake Her momentum carried her forwards. She flipped uncontrollably over the other side of the sill. Hands gripping desperately, she slid unceremoniously towards the concrete on the other side. Her legs followed her and she landed flat on her back on the ground, hands burning and the wind knocked out of her. Dazed, she knew she had to get away. She heard a man's voice shouting from in the class room. She heard desks shift and groan as he heaved them out of the way. She heard muffled footsteps as he rushed towards the window. She couldn't seem to react. Closing her eyes, still on the ground, she prepared herself for the onslaught. She couldn't move. Waiting Hilary watched the man lean over the sill in her mind's eye.

But the moment never came. Suddenly she heard a small cry of pain followed by the unmistakable sound of a body collapsing to the floor. What was going on? Her breath tearing out of her throat as though she had run for miles, Hilary scrambled backwards. She forced her spine was against the building, hoping hiding under the window ledge would provide her some cover. Curled up in a foetal position, she looked up, head resting against the wall so she could see the edge of the sill. She would know the instant someone popped their head over to look. She waited. Silence. Nothing but the pounding of her heart. The rushing of blood through her veins. She desperately tried to slow her breathing, she was sure it was too loud. Some one must have heard her. Her body slowly tensed as the silence increased. Pressing herself flat against the wall, she could picture the teacher standing on the other side, watching, waiting for her to move.

She wondered who it would be. Anyone but Mr Balkov. The purple haired man was notorious for his harsh punishments and deathly glares. He had also been looking at her strangely these past few weeks, especially when she had hit the homeless boy in the face. She had seen a glint in his eyes that had made her feel sick without knowing why.

A shadow fell over her. Hilary screamed. Pushing away from the wall she threw herself away from the window and dived across the concrete onto the grass lawn. She scrambled up to run when something made her stop. She turned to the window, eyes widening in shock as the sound reached her ears. Leaning casually out of the window, grey hair flopping carelessly into his eyes was: "The name's Kai" the boy said. Barely concealing a smirk he managed to keep down the laughter that had burst out of him seconds before. Hilary's feet seemed to have taken root in the grass in shock. She stared wordlessly at him, heart still galloping. She couldn't comprehend. What was he doing here? The boy from last night... The image of him soaked in rain and topless swam blurrily into her mind. Suddenly she was hit with a nasty thought. "What are you doing here?" the question was guarded. Had he been following her? The events of the previous night were a jumble of emotions and images. Should she know him? The back of her neck prickled uncomfortably. Why was he grinning so confidently? It unnerved her. That arrogant smirk reminded her of that black haired boy, Ray. Hilary was suddenly pulled from her thoughts and started as the boy, Kai, suddenly vaulted out of the window sill.

She took an involuntary step back. "What do you want?"

He was still smiling.


End file.
